Banker, business owner Houston Haugo dies

Dec. 17, 2019

Banker and entrepreneur Houston Haugo has died.

Haugo, 77, battled type 1 diabetes for more than 50 years, according to his obituary.

A Sioux Falls native who began his career in his family’s bank in Yankton, Haugo eventually returned to Sioux Falls and led Valley National Bank. He later branched into his own banking operation, Valley Bank, in Elk Point, Jefferson and North Sioux City and opened a branch in Sioux Falls in 1992. He sold Valley Bank in 2008.

In 1982, Haugo founded radio station 95.1 KSKY in the Black Hills. He and his son, Chris, expanded Haugo Broadcasting in the 1990s and grew a station group that included KICK 104 and KTOQ. In 2017, they bought HITS 102.7 from Pandora Media.

He also owned commercial real estate in Sioux Falls — including the downtown building that for years was home to Skelly’s Pub and Grill — and served on the Lincoln County Commission.

A lifelong horseman, his obituary said one of his proudest achievements was creating Dakota Thunder, a draft horse hitch team. He and his wife, Judith, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by riding with the Dakota Thunder Shire team in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade.

“Houston had a huge heart and was a generous and charitable community member,” his obituary said.

“Both through his business and personally, he supported many organizations through his life, including Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, Tocqueville Society of the Sioux Empire United Way, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Salvation Army, LifeScape and the Dakota Royal Charity Draft Horse Show to name a few. He created the Houston Haugo Family Foundation with the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, and was proud to support many other charitable organizations.”

Haugo died Dec. 11. His funeral is today in Sioux Falls.

To see the complete obituary, click here.

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Banker, business owner Houston Haugo dies

Banker and entrepreneur Houston Haugo has died.

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